Incentivized Reading Program Partnership with FHES

The Latest Happenings with The Historic Avenue Foundation

The goal of The Historic Avenue Foundation is to help end generational poverty--- in direct collaboration with community members---by using a holistic approach that focuses on building mixed-income housing, investing in equitable education, and providing transformational community wellness programs.

Florence Howard Elementary School Literacy Camp

This summer, The Historic Avenue Foundation took some time to focus on literacy and the increasing divide created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wake of this global crisis, the adoption of remote and digital learning has been accelerated. This ability to conduct learning in a virtual world has many advantages, at least for those who can afford access to the resources and tools needed to participate. However, children living in poverty, children from families with limited access to books, technology, and the internet are among those most affected by this deepening divide. Without effective literacy intervention, these children are at high risk of becoming functional illiterate adults. This is why we must prioritize the needs of those who are in a disadvantaged condition to ensure free and inclusive education for all. The Historic Avenue Foundation, in collaboration with Fuse Project, plans to transform the “Avenue” community with a truly holistic approach focused on creating mixed-income housing, education, and community health and wellness. By addressing and alleviating the impacts of poverty, we will also increase and enhance literacy for all children in our community, as they often go hand-in-hand. 

We are incredibly proud of our continued partnership with Florence Howard Elementary School. The teachers and staff are doing amazing work, every single day, to ensure that every child in our community receives equitable and transformational educational opportunities. In June, FHES hosted a literacy camp to help  children work on reading and literacy skills and get those caught up who may have fallen short of their required reading level at the academic year-end. They also put focus on making reading fun. We worked with the faculty and staff to incentivize reading and participation in literacy programs like this one by throwing a party for the children at the end of the literacy camp. The children enjoyed fun activities, bounce houses, and pizza as a reward for completing the program.